Weight-register



Patented Jan. 3, I899.

H. FAIRBANKS.

WEIGHT REGISTER.

(Application filed July 18, 1898,!

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

(No Model.)

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H. FAIRBANKS.

WEIGHT REGISTER.

Patented Jan. 3, 1899;

(Application filed July 16, 1898.)

(N9 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

Pounds.

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WITNESSES; a 0%. MW

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY FAIRBANKS, OF ST. JOHNSBURY, VERMONT, ASSIGNOR TO THE E. A; T. FAIRBANKS 8'; COMPANY, OF VERMONT.

WEIGHT-REGISTE'R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 617,285, dated January 3, 1899.

Application filed July 16,1898- Serial No. 686,128. (No model.)

To (all whom, it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, HENRY FAIRBANKS, of St. Johnsbury, in the county of Caledonia and State of Vermont, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in lVeight-Registers, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to the class of weighinmachines in which the weight ascertained is not only read but is registered by marking or punching the proper figures upon a suitably-prepared card or ticket. The front side of the scale-beam, or, if preferred, the back, is arranged to hold in proper position this specially-prepared ticket of stiff cardboard, which is dropped into place after the load is balanced, and a point carried by the poise is pressed against the ticket, marking or punching the figures corresponding to the weight of the load. This prepared ticket has several rows of figures running across from left to right, corresponding exactly in spacing and value with the weight-graduation of the scalebeam, the figures of successive rows increasing continuously until the full capacity of the scale-beam is provided for on the ticket. The bottom or lower edge of this ticket is not-cut parallel with the rows of figures upon it; but this edge is as much higher at one end than at the other as each row of figures is higher than the one below it. To fit this inclined lower edge of the ticket, a narrow inclined flange projects slightly from the face of the scale-beam and has along its upper side a series of little blocks or a series of studs standing out from the scale-beam spaced as far apart as the length of either row of figures upon the ticket and arranged to govern the position of this ticket lengthwise as the inclined flange governs its height. The poise itself is open at the top, just in front of the upper edge of the scale-beam, sufficiently to allow the ticket described to drop between its front plate and the-face of the beam, so that in any position of this sliding poise a pocket is formed between its front plate and thebeam, the bottom of this pocket being the inclined flange and the little blocks or studs standing up from the flange enough to serve as ends for it. From this description it will be understood that when the ticket is in position in the said pocket the rows of figures upon it are parallel with the top of the scale-beam along which the poise is arranged to move, and therefore a point carried by a spring upon the poise and arranged to strike any figure in any row upon the ticket would be carried along that row if the poise were moved, and since the figures are spaced to correspond with the graduation of the beam this springpoint properly placed to mark or punch centrally the figure corresponding to one position of the poise would, in case the poise is moved, mark in the same way the figure indicating the new position of the poise, unless the movement carried the spring-point beyond the end of that row of figures. If the poise is moved farther along the beam, the front of it goes to form the second pocket instead of the first, and the ticket placed in this and resting on the inclined flange is carried by that inclination into position to have the spring markingpoint stand against the second row of figures, which are the same as the graduation-marks of the second section of the beam, and the point will accordingly mark the figure which correctly registers the weight-indicatin g position of the poise. Therefore it is only necessary in any position of the poise to place the ticket between its front plate and the beam in the pocket so formed and to press the spring to secure a proper record of the weight. Preferably the scale-beam is divided, with reference to its capacity and graduation, into five sections of twenty one-hundredths each, which would mean five of the pockets described, and would require five rows of figures upon the ticket for the complete record.

In case the load weighed is too large to be balanced by the sliding poise upon the beam and weights are added upon the counterpoise at the end it is desirable that the record of the weight balanced by these added weights should be registered upon the same ticket. To receive this additional record, other lines of figures are printed upon the ticket parallel to the lines of those used to register the movement of the sliding poise. The arrange ment for marking these figures is similar to that already described as used upon the poise sliding along the beam. The counterpoisestem, which carries the little platform or bottom on which the slotted weights are piled, is flattened to allow a graduation indicating at any point where the top of the upper weight stands the total weight balanced by the whole number of weights then in use, so that the weighing-clerk reading the figures is relieved from the necessity of counting or adding. Upon this graduated stem of the counterpoise I place a sliding weight-follower, which must he slid upward to allow the weights to be placed in position and which when free rests upon the top of the upper weight then in use. Its position then of course indicates the weight to be registered as balanced by the pile of counterpoise-weights then effective, and a spring marking-point similar to that carried by the poise and attached to this weightfollower will always be in position to properly mark or punch a suitably-prepared and suitably -placed ticket. To hold this ticket in place and provide a backing against which the marking-point shall act, it is necessary to extend a thin projecting flange from the counterpoise-steni in the place where the slot in the weights leaves room for it and to provide upon this little projections spaced the same as those that divide the beam into sections, making in the slot of the weights and between the said flange and the wide front of the weight-follower one or more pockets fitted to definitely locate the ticket, so that the marking-point is sure to find the proper figure upon it. These pockets have, like those upon the scale-beam, an inclined bottom not quite parallel with the counterpoisestem, and the marking-point moved parallel to that stem is carried in the second pocket into the second row of figures. To facilitate punching the ticket a row of holes parallel to the said stem is drilled along the edge of the projecting flange where the marking-point strikes through, these holes being spaced to correspond with the thinnest weight, and for a similar purpose a little groove is out in the side of the scale-beam parallel to its top,where the spring marking-point can always enter it.

To register the weight of any load after the scale is balanced, the prepared ticket is dropped into either pocket that is then covered by the poise and the knob of the springpunch is pressed lightly. Then the ticket is placed in the counterpoise-poeket behind the weight-follower and that knob is pressed. The two records read together give the total weight.

The scale illustrated in the drawings has a capacity upon the beam of one thousand pounds by five pounds and upon the counterpoise of eighty-four thousand by one thousand. Therefore the number of thousands of pounds will be correctly indicated by the figure punched by the connterpoise-follower point, and the additional number of pounds will be indicated to the nearest five by the ligu re punched by the point carried by the poise.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the scale-beam with its poise and counterpoise in position; Fig. 2, a full-sized side view of a portion of the eounterpoise with weights, weight-follower, and ticket in position to receive the record of forty thousand pounds. Fig. 3 is a top view of the weight-follower with a section of the coiniterpoise-stem and its flange. Fig. 4 is an end view of a section of the beam with the poise upon it. Fig. 5 is the ticket; and Fig. 6 is a full-sized side view of the sliding poise, the ticket in place, and a section of the scale'beam.

In the figures, a designates the ticket, b l) the projections 011 the face of the beam, and Z) Z) those on the flange of the counterpoisestem, fitting the notches b I), by which the ticket to is accurately located in the several positions arranged for it.

0 shows the perforation made by the point 1 carried by the poise in the fi ure indicating six hundred and eightypounds,and (Z the similar perforation by the point-t" of the counterpoise-weight follower indicating that forty thousand pounds of load is balanced byeounterpoise-weights.

e is the sliding poise, and f its front plate, standing off from the face of the beam enough to allow the ticket to be inserted between.

1 is the spring carrying the knob 7L of the m arking-point t upon the weight-follower n, and g the similar spring of the knob 71 and point 2" carried by the poise c.

jis the inclined flange standing out from the face of the beam 7;.

Z is the little groove in the face of the beam which the point t" enters in the act of punching, and r r the series of holes which serve a similar purpose for the point i through the thin flange q of the counterpoise-stem m.

o is a handle for lifting the weight-follower when weights are put on, and p the peep-hole for reading the figures on the counterpoisestem.

Looking at the drawings, the method of using the invention here described is evident. The load is balanced, as in any scale, by placing loose weights upon the counterpoise and moving the poise until the beam barely rises. The figures indicated may then be read and noted; but to make mistakes in this reading impossible the prepared ticket is inserted in its pocket behind the frontof the sliding poise f and the knob 7L is lightly pressed, and then the same ticket behind the front projection of the weight-follower n and the knob 7L similarly pressed. The two holes thus punched make a permanent record of this weighing.

I do not intend to confine myself to the exact details of the mechanism here described in carrying out this invention. Of course either the poise-register or the weight-follower register can be used without the use of the other. The projections governing the position of the ticket may be from the back of the scale-beam instead of its front face. The

number of these projections may be more or less, requiring a longer or shorter ticket,

IIO

and the marking-point may be dillerentl y mounted. It may not be necessary to use the inclined i'lange described as projecting from the face of the beam, since the series of projections or studs, each higher than the last and fitting the notches cut near the ends of the bottom of the ticket, will support that ticket and give it the necessary elevation, as well as locate it lengthwise, and, if desired, the series of pockets or ticket locations may be successively lower instead of successively higher along the scale-beam, the ticket locations of the counterpoise-stem being of course arranged to correspond. I

In case the graduation of the scale-beam is so fine that all the corresponding numbers cannot conveniently be printed in place upon the ticket the principal numbers are printed and the values between these are indicated by the mark falling between, as in the drawings. The ticket shown has figures for each ten pounds, while the mark for intermediate fives would fall between these. The reading is in such cases plain.

It will be understood that the guide projections may be so shaped that the corners of the card may serve the part of notches and that in adapting guides to carry the same ticket upon the beam and counterpoise-stem these projections upon one may have to be made much broader than upon theother.

I claim- 1. In a weighing-scale, a scale-beam having a series of projections standing out from its side, spaced equally to each other, and to some multiple of the weight-graduation, and placed at regularlywarying distances below the top of the beam, adapted to locate a prepared ticket accurately in one of several definite positions upon the side of the beam, corresponding to its weight-graduations, each said position higher or lower than the last, in combination with a marking-point carried by the sliding poise, in a manner when pressed to mark: the said ticket at the prearranged part of its surface, and to indicate and register the position of the said poise upon the beam, as herein described.

2. In a weighing-scale, a poise sliding upon the scale-beam, having one side standing oit from the side of the beam sufficiently to allow a prepared ticket to be inserted between, in combination with a series of small projections or studs standing out from that side of the beam, spaced to correspond with some multiple of its graduation, each placed regularly higher or low r than the last, and adapted to definitely locate the said ticket by proper notches in its lower edge, engaging the said projections, in one of several prearranged positions along the length of the beam, and in combination with a markingpoint carried by the said poise, arranged to be moved against the said ticket, as specified.

2-3. In a weighing-scale, a poise sliding upon the scale-beam, having one side standing off from the side of the beam sufficiently to al low a prepared ticket to be inserted between, and a marking-point carried by this poise, in combination with a ticket upon which are printed several lines of figures corresponding in horizontal spacing and value to the weight-graduations of the said beam, and with projections from the beam into the space between its side and that of the poise, arranged to engage notches in the edge of the said ticket, and to definitely locate the same in any one of several predetermined positions, each position differing from the last horizontally by a distance equal to the length of a row of figures upon the ticket, and vertically by the regular distance of the said rows apart, as herein set forth.

4. In a weighing-scale, the scale-beam provided with projections from its side adapted to definitely locate a prepared ticket, a ticket with angles fitting the said projections, a poise capable of being moved along the scale-beam, a markingpoint carried by this poise, and a groove in the side of the beam at the level of the said point, and giving clearance for the same as it punches the ticket at that exact level, as specified.

5. In a weighing-scale, a counterpoise having a stem with a thin flange standing out into the space where the slot in the weights gives room for it, a weight-follower sliding upon the said stem, a marking-point carried by this weight-follower, a series of projections from the side of the said flange, at distances corresponding to some multiple of the thickness of the smallest loose weight to be used upon the counterpoise, and at regularly-varying distances from the stem along which the said follower slides, and a ticket having notches upon its edge adapted to engage the said projections, and to be definitely located thereby in one of several accurately-prearranged positions, namely the one where, as the weight follower then stands, the said marking-point may strike it, as herein described.

6. In a weighing-scale, a counterpoise having a fiat stem with a thin flange standing out into the space where the slot in the weights gives room for it, a weight-follower sliding upon this stem, and a marking-point carried by this weight-follower along a path parallel to the said stem, in combination with a ticket on which are printed several lines of figures corresponding to the accumulating Weight balanced by the several slotted weights placed upon the said counterpoise, these figures spaced in each line to correspond with multiples of the thickness of the smallest Weight, and in combination with projections from the said flan ge, engaging notches or angles in this ticket, arranged to vary the distance that the ticket is carried from the counterpoise-stem in successive positions as much as the lines of figures upon this ticket are spaced apart, as herein described.

7. In a weighing-scale, a counterpoise-stem having a thin flange standing out from it, a

Weight-follower sliding upon this stem, a marking-point carried by this Weight-follower, projections from the said flange, adapted to engage the angles of a prepared ticket and accurately locate the same, and a row parallel with the eounterpoise-stem of holes through the edge of the said thin flange, spaced to allow the marking-point, passing through the ticket, to find clearance in any one of them, as specified.

S. In a weighing-scale, the combination of a marking-poise and guide projections upon the scale-beam for accurately locating a prepared ticket to receive the correct registering-mark, with a marking Weight-follower HENRY FAIRBANKS.

\Vitnesses:

J. C. CLARK, H. W. BROOKS. 

